...THE ISSUES AT THE END OF WHERE THE BUDGET WAS LEFT FROM PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT WAS THE ISSUE WITH THE KURDS AND FEDERAL -- SO NOW ABADI HAS MET WITH BARZANI AND THEY HAVE RESOLVED SO WE ARE IN A VERY GOOD PLACE WITH THE BUDGET AND IT IS EXPECTED TO PASS.
ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IS THIS WEEK WILL SEE A VOTE FOR THE 2014 BUDGET --- SO THAT WOULD ALLOW THE TIMELINE TO BE REACHABLE AS THEY HAD ANNOUNCED AS THEIR GOAL.
PARLIAMENT MEETS TOMORROW [MONDAY] AND TUESDAY.
I DID SEE A REPORT ALL ABOUT THE BUDGET AND IT IS IN THE BILLIONS.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MANY SOURCES THAT ARE TRUSTED THAT THE GOAL IS TO OPEN THE BUDGET BY THE 1ST OF OCTOBER --- THEY HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT IS THE GOAL.
"...the parliament will approve a budget for the three months and a half remaining this year, with the exchange rate increase approved by the Parliament earlier on the salaries of employees with retroactive effect from the beginning of this year and will be disbursed next month..."
THIS IS SAYING THAT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH WILL BE THE THREE MONTHS THAT WILL BE DISBURSED AND IT WILL BE AT THE NEW EXCHANGE RATE. THEY WILL ALSO BE PAYING BACK PAY.
THE NATIONAL IRAQ DAY AND THE HOLIDAY IS NOT A BANKING HOLIDAY OR GOVERNMENT SO I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT THEY WILL BE OFF ALL OF THAT TIME.
THIS WEEK THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO VOTE.
Baghdad – the Parliament decided to continue to hold meetings to Thursday (9/25) and to resume after Eid al-Adha holiday, Wednesday 10/8 which will be about two weeks...THIS GIVES THEM 4 DAYS TO VOTE AND PASS PENDING LEGISLATION.
The CBI is closed 10/4 to 10/7...Parliament will be also!!! It is a NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
CBI website confirms closed 4-7 [October 4th to 7th].
I STILL DON'T THINK THEY WILL CHANGE THE RATE TILL THE BASKET OF FINANCIAL LAWS ARE PASSED SO THEY CAN COMPLETE THE WTO PROCESS OF ACCEPTANCE.
THAT BASKET IS IN PARLIAMENT AND READY FOR VOTE FROM ALL INFORMATION IN INK . UNKNOWN WHY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN VOTED ON YET BUT THEY ARE EXPECTED AT ANYTIME EVERY MEETING.
"House of Representatives decided to continue its activities until the end of this month to resume work on the fourteenth of October next, after the end of the holiday."
So parliament will continue to work and have sessions through the end of Sept and will take a vacation/break from Oct 1- Oct 13th for a holiday (resuming on the 14th).
"After the agreement of the Presidency of the Parliament during a meeting with heads of blocs and members of the parliamentary committees on the continuation of the meetings of the Council until the 30th of September, the current, most likely politicians to postpone the vote on the candidates for the ministries of interior and defense until after the Eid al-Adha..."
So they will not name the defense or Interior until after the holiday which ends October 13th.
So at least the middle of October before they seat these ministers.
"Determined by the value of the dinar monetary policy"
Saleh is describing the definition of the Balassa-Samuelson effect.
"Balassa–Samuelson (BS) hypothesis implies that countries with rapidly expanding economies should tend to have more rapidly appreciating exchange rates."
In other words, the appreciation of the dinar is directly related to the growth (increased productivity) of the economy.
Which is what Saleh is stating in this article above.
...we will see the dinar rise as they open the market economy.
That is a fact...it simply has to because raising the value of the dinar is a monetary tool for the CBI to control inflation which will occur as a result of massive investment.
Once they are ready, and open the Capital Account, move to Article VIII and a new Exchange Regime, the CBI's task will then become one that monitors capital and investment into Iraq.
As that occurs, the dinar will rise in value to offset the inflation it creates. The bottom line, is we have to wait for the new GOI to get to that point..and it will still take time..we are talking laws, stability, security so the market economy is a success.
"Claims to reconsider the law of economic reform"
"[economic reform] is a good idea and much needed, especially at this stage that requires the transformation of the economy totalitarian central to a market economy."
Yes, a great article to start off a Monday with!
I know we've said it many times before, but a market economy means Iraq will have a Dinar that is representative of it's true value.
IMO, ...the Kurds...can expect to be disappointed, at least initially, with the response of the new government to the Kurdish demands. ...if our event happens anytime soon it will be a surprise to me.
YOU DON'T NEED TO CALL AN 800 NUMBER TO DEAL WITH WF [WELLS FARGO] BOA [BANK OF AMERICA] OR ANY OF THE OTHERS.
JUST CALL YOUR LOCAL BANK OR DINAR DEALER AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.
THAT'S HOW EASY IT IS...I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE VP OF INTERNATIONAL BANKING WF AND THEY HAVE NOT EVEN HEARD OF A CONTRACT 800 RATE OR NUMBER AND I HAVE TALKED TO HOMELAND SECURITY AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THIS AND I QUOTE "ANYONE THAT IS THINKING ABOUT DEALING WITH AN OUTSIDE SOURCE TO EXCHANGE ANY CURRENCY MUST DEAL WITH A LICENSED VENDOR OR BE IN VIOLATION OF THE UST GUIDELINES".
THINK IT OVER, BEFORE YOU GO DOWN THAT PATH.
I GOT YESTERDAY THAT THEY HAVE NOW THE LAST MINISTER IN PLACE...SO ANY TIME WHAT I WAS TOLD.
CALL...FROM GREENZONE BUILDING SAYING THEY EXPECT ABADI TO FINIISH MINISTERS TOMORROW [THURSDAY] AND SEVERAL OTHER VOTES TO TAKE PLACE.
ALL SOUNDING GREAT ON THE STREETS...THERE NO ISIS WITHIN 50 MILES OF BAGDAD AND NEVER HAVE BEEN.
THEY STILL SAYING WHEN LAWS ARE COMPLETED AND IMPLEMENTED THEY EXPECT THE RATE ANNOUNCEMENT ASAP AFTERWORDS.
MANY BANKING LAWS INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL BANKING LAWS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE FOR THEM TO BECOME FULL MEMBERS OF THE WTO. ALL THESE LAWS WERE YESTERDAY SAID TO HAVE BEEN PLACED IN ONE BASKET FOR VOTE SO THEY ALL WILL BE PASSED AT ONE VOTE.
"Erbil and Baghdad Close to Oil Agreement"
I would not go so far to say HCL is about to be done.
HCL is much more than just how to export Kurdistan oil.
None the less, a good step.
"Finance parliamentary likely to issue a new edition class (50) thousand dinars"
...if they issued physical 50k or 100k notes it is not good not only for us as dinar investors, but for Iraq's own economy.
That is not what they are going to do.
It contradicts everything Iraq needs to do for a transition to a market economy and more importantly integration of the banking system with the world economy.
That is why they won't.
What they will do is raise the value of the dinar (nominal exchange rate) and introduce notes that gives one "the feeling" of purchasing power equal to issuing a 50k or 100k note.
In other words, they are trying to raise the value as so often stated at or near 1 to $1.
I don't necessarily think anything went "wrong", it's just taken a while to get everything in place. We've seen the IQD more than double in value since 2003, we've seen Iraqis form a government, we've seen the Iraqi people voting (remember the first time we saw the purple ink on the fingers of voters?), we've seen a LOT of progress... and we continue to see that.
There was no way the IQD could have gone up dramatically and been stable any time before 2010... but the progress they've made is undeniable, and if it's going to happen - we are close.
Comments to share from my Kurdish friend (As always please treat as rumor): My guy mentioned...this article which actually is a rehashed article BUT has some real muster behind it BECAUSE the NEW 10K note is already being integrated/exchanged and the other (NEW) 5k , 25K and MOST IMPORTANTLY the NEW 50K is COMING!!! These new notes( I'm told) are in final process of production and will be integrated/exchanged during the last quarter of this year. This has two VERY IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS : 1) Cutting off ISIS from obtaining the new notes and not able to mass produce counterfeit ones and 2) THIS SHOULD PUT TO REST (for the next two quarters) THAT THERE WILL BE NO RV/RI/RD.
So... the introduction of these into the marketplace IS/WILL BE PROOF POSITIVE of the GOI and CBI's monetary policy for the time being (next 6 months at a minimum). To reiterate my contact indicates that the Finance Committee and the ABADI administration will NOT entertain any other discussions regarding such till sometime toward the end of the first quarter of 2015 and the BIG IF of that timeline IS/WILL BE the handling of the country's security situation. THIS IS HUGE!
I'm sticking to 10/7 - 10/9 to see the change in currency rate...Quite frankly I have around 8 solid items that favor this timeline as being best window.
regarding remaining ministers, I think agreement will be had soon and agree on vitality of having them seating to move forward on fighting terrorism and moving forward on monetary policy change and to have agreement amongst the parties is key, non-sectarian...equally representative.
I'm excited to see new notes being updated too again, fighting corruption...making it harder for terrorists to use and exchange imo.
totally agree, part of three zeros plan... LD's will be useless without a strong rate.
"Tamimi: the budget will be passed before the 15th of next month"
...the way I read it...2014 before October 15th...and 2015 will be sent directly after October 15th.
So 30 days to pass the 2014 budget.
I would like to see some timeline for the stalled laws as well.
"Economist: paper ten thousand dinars new regulatory action to prevent fraud"
This statement is not good..."the need to head the central bank to restructure the Iraqi currency and delete the zeros commensurate with the value of the dollar and raise the value of the Iraqi currency against the currencies of countries Jawarwalamlat the world."
When I read this it implies they want to redenominate (LOP) the notes equal (commensurate) to the dollar, then begin to raise the currency value against other countries.
[I have never been able to get my mind wrapped around the whole float theory, and now you come out with this?
I have always wondered, in relation to the float from 1166 theory, if the dinar floats from 1166, or 1 cent or 10 cents, what is to stop large wholesale investors, billionaires, and foreign countries from sucking up all the dinar at those low rates and sitting and waiting for it to get up to $3?
I am hoping they do what we were told they would do...which is a gradual appreciation.
It makes more sense and follows economic principles.
The good news is we should all know by the end of this year.
The recent articles are clear that opening the economy is the #1 priority and that requires opening the banking system and dinar to the world.
I still believe the details provided by the IMF are the most accurate but these articles sometimes throw a curve ball that one cannot help wonder.
Remember...hundreds of articles...clearly state they want to raise the value of the dinar.
How that is accomplished seems less important.
THE BUDGET HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BE EXPECTED TO BE OPENED OCTOBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR. CBI HAS STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT WAIT FOR THE BUDGET TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ECONOMIC REFORMS AND MONETARY POLICY AND WILL USE THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FUNDS IN THE BANKS TO BEGIN WITH OR WITHOUT THE BUDGET IN PLACE.
THE ECONOMIC EXPERTS ARE ASKING CBI TO MOVE FORWARD NOW WITH THE RV.
...THE REDENOMINATION TO TAKE PLACE ALONG WITH THE SETTING OF THE RAISED VALUES FOR THE DINAR TO ALL INTERNATIONAL CURRENCIES.
THE CURRENCY IS ALREADY PREPARED BECAUSE IT HAS TURKI`S SIGNATURE ON IT --- SO IT IS READY OBVIOUSLY .
I DO THINK THEY HAVE A DATE SET FOR THE DINAR TO MOVE TO THE GLOBE -- A PLAN THIS LARGE WOULD NOT BE CREATED WITHOUT A DATE IMO -- WE JUST DONT KNOW WHAT IT IS YET.
LOOKS LIKE IRAQ FINALLY THINKS THEY ARE VERY CLOSE SO HOLD YOUR HATS.
My best guess is there is a more likely chance of seeing monetary change the eve of 10/7 -10/9.
The CBI will be closed for four days starting 10/4 (so counting Friday is 5 days).
October 8th is the start date of the UST fiscal year (although many will argue it's 10/1)...Because it is my belief the UST (exchange stabilization fund) would be supporting the RV event and the President can release the ESFunds without the Congress's approval, but the administration needs to give a full accounting within 6 months...That 6 month deadline accounting will be right before April 15th tax deadline for US citizens...also take into consideration that Iraq said they will start drafting the 2015 Budget 10/15...All in my opinion of course as being the strongest "window" for the event.
"The government program a valuable opportunity"
We don't have a timetable but having this program that "included all of the relevant requirements of the transition from a totalitarian to a market economy as a solution represent the challenges faced by our national economy" announced just barely into this brand new government is exciting to see.
This shows us the importance and the priority of this program.
Moving to a market economy includes a currency that is representative of true value and driven by the market.
This is great news for us and again, though we don't have a timeline, we see this is obviously a priority and this new government wants to distinguish itself as new and progressive. There is much optimism with this new government and with all the ally support against terrorism, we can see it's a new day in Iraq!
Abadi presented his economic plan, it met the approval of parl, it will launch them into a market economy... a strong economy not only helps the country but helps us as well...wow awesome start!
[what your quick take is on the 10k notes?
Yes, I believe that they had to issue some to keep the country afloat in currency until the changeover.
There is also the security issue with the original notes.
We will get a float announced and then see the value rise over time.
"Working Party on the Accession of Iraq - Membership and Terms of Reference - Revision"
Ok, I don't know what this document is.
But I assure you, Iraq is not ready nor have they received accession into the WTO... they don't have the laws to support global trade nor a convertible currency. Accession will come later.
I believe their are like 8 steps to accession.
What this WTO post appears to be is graduation to step 8.
Which is not accession, but the final faze...which still contains all the conditions set forth before.
This basically puts it all on Iraq.
The WTO has said, as soon as you do what is required you can have full accession because you have met the previous seven stages.
Remember the list is at least...tariffs, laws, currency convertibility, less dependency on oil, etc.
So Iraq has work to do, but this is an incentive for them for sure. IMO, Iraq is still a year or two out before they will fully join the WTO.
"IRAQ is a member of the WTO----Working Party on the Accession of Iraq to the WTO"
The title of this post is false. Iraq is not a member yet. This is just a posting of a note on the file. There was a similar note posted back in December of 2009...people saying Iraq is a member of the wto, wrong.
There is much fanfare prior to ANY country reaching full membership status in the WTO. It actually takes several months from submission of the final report by the working party.
IMO we will know when Iraq is close and it's not today.
imo, as soon as govt is seated, the CBI will engage the removal of the three zeros project as Turki stated and that will bring a rate set.
The big news is Jubouri was elected as Speaker of the House, and 2 or 3 deputies.
Maliki was asked to leave Parliament because he had no business there & was escorted out.
When Parliament was sworn in, I think it was the beginning of the end for Maliki.
IMO, as soon as this government is seated and settled, one of the first conversations will be financial reform, economic reform and currency reform.
Currency reform is not going away.
It is a very very public topic.
So, once all the roadblocks are out of the way you will see something done about that in very short order.
I think in the next few days there will be some resolution to this whole government situation.
This is magnificent news for our investment and for Iraq.
Good things coming in the next few days.
YET TO BE SEEN, BUT FROM ALL INDICATIONS ON THE FINANCIAL FRONT THEY WILL NOT WAIT LONG TO RV AND GET INTERNATIONAL. I SEE NOTHING HOLDING THEM BACK AFTER THE PM AND GOI ARE ALL SEATED.
I'M GOING TO BE VERY CAREFUL HOW I SAY THIS.
OK, READ BETWEEN THE LINES...TONIGHT SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN WHEN THE BANKS SYNC AT 2 AM.
I REALLY HOPE THE LEAD TODAY IS CORRECT FOR TONIGHT.
THIS WAS SYNCED TO HAPPEN AT 2...THEN PUSHED TO 6 AM.
NOW THEY ARE TO OPEN THE BUDGET AND SIT TWO POSITIONS TODAY AND WE ARE TO SEE THIS LATER HOPING LATER TONIGHT.
VERY QUIET, THATS THE DESIGN AT THE VERY END.
Al-Sistani gives Maliki a week to step down.
The top Shi'ite cleric in Iraq, Ali al-Sistani has dilvered a verbal message to the outgoing Prime Minister , Nuri al-Maliki, telling him that he should step down from his post during a week to make room for to choose an alternative and end the crisis in the formation of the government.
The religious Marjaa waved that he will announce his frank position against al-Maliki if the week ended and the latter did not respond to the message, according to Elaph Website that said briefed about this information from a source close to the Marjaa.
Maliki seek to fill the office for the third time in a row, especially after State of law coalition come the first in the elections that took place at the end of April with 95 seats, ahead of about 60 seats for its nearest rival.
But he faces stiff opposition from Sunnis and Kurds he parties in the National Shia coalition as those parties blame it on the massive offensive of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant "ISIL" organization on the north and west of the country.
According to the close source to the religious Marjaa , an envoy has brought a verbal message from the highest religious Marjaa, Al- Sistani to Prime Minister , Nuri al-Maliki on the need to solve the problem of the Shiite National coalition's candidate to head the new government to choose the alternative to him within one week, otherwise they will announce a position publicly against his third term.
However, the relentless attack of ISIL last month raised wide fears within the country and outside it from Iraq's collapse and fragmentation into parts which prompted religious Marjaa to call to take up arms to fight the militants and tens of thousands responded to the call.
Marjiyaa stressed to Maliki, according to the report, seen by "Shafaq News" that " this position comes is consistent with the positions of other political blocs opposed to give Mailki a third term, and that he does not have national consensus.
Marjiyaa has warned of the risks of the continued absence of nomination of candidates for the three presidencies of the Republic, the parliament and the government on the situation in the country, which is witnessing security, and political crisis that threatens disintegration of Iraq.
It is believed that Maliki's insistence to hold office prevents the formation of the next government, despite repeated calls by Marjiyaa on the need to accelerate the formation of government to face ISIL.
The source noted that al-Maliki began to be sure that the whole political atmosphere is going against his desire for a third term.
Al-Sistani's Office had denied last Wednesday what some of the media has said about Sistani's son, Mohammad Retha that there are no red lines on any candidate for prime minister.
A close source to the office said that "what was attributed to Mr. Mohammad Retha al-Sistani or to the office through some channels on the lack of red lines on any candidate for prime minister is not true," which was interpreted as the possibility of Marjiyaa to object any candidate for the presidency of the next government.
While that's certainly true, the perceptions and fears of human kind are what need to be mitigated, imo, that will happen very quickly once the goi is seated and fair representation of the sects is accomplished. How long that will take is another thing. I have a feeling it won't take long. Gov Turki has things just where he wants them.
We can only go on what the CBI has stated and if the translation is correct, Turki made reference to when the government is decided and that is open to translation. Does anyone really think that Iraq is going to keep to value of the IQD at 1166 when they are going to be the richest country in the region? So if you believe they will or they need to increase the value of the IQD, does it matter to the CBI who is the PM? I don't think so, just my opinion.
It may very well be that the Board of Directors of the CBI are waiting for the formation of the government regardless of who is the PM. Have you noticed that the CBI has continued with the reforms of the banking system...they do not sit still. Besides my thoughts/opinions about the CBI...I too believe that the different blocs will not agree to a government if Maliki is still there. I believe an all-inclusive GOI is in their future. (I think/hope that they are ready... get Turki a GOI and he will give us the RV.) Agreed.
I CAN'T HELP BUT SIT BACK AND SMILE AS I KNOW IT'S RIGHT HERE ... ANY MOMENT.
"The stability of the dinar exchange shares in maintaining the prices of goods"
"The exchange rate of the dinar in 1220 dinars banking offices in the official exchange rate of 1166 dinars and the price is stable, as the increase up to 2 percent represents an acceptable price and stable, according to financial expert, the appearance of Dr. Mohammed Saleh."
Glad to see Saleh confirm the 2% spread. As well, he makes a very solid statement that the Iraqi dinar would be considered a "hard currency" if not for the absence of mechanisms...which to me means open the currency to the world (Article VIII) and a new Exchange Regime (they must get off the peg and on to some sort of float)...only currencies that float are considered "hard currencies".
The last few days of CBI news does give me more optimism about the banking system. For sure the CBI is pressing forward to prepare for the day of Article VIII and a new Exchange Regime. We just need the rest to fall into place.
"In the public interest and commitment to constitutional contexts in order to preserve and continue to build democracy and again after consultation with the heads of blocs in parliament, we've decided to change the date of the previous call for parliament to convene on Sunday, 13 / July / 2014."
"We will also see the session the second reading of a bill accession of the Republic of Iraq to the establishment of the International Islamic Trade Finance"
there has been several arts [articles] recently telling us what parliament has been working on and there was a bill being read that caught my attention...there 56 countries in the organization on several continents and Iraq is already listed as a member - now as mentioned in the above article they state "accession" into the Trade Finance Org.
Imo, Iraq is now prepared to implement and take full advantage of the funds and many advantages of this Org...this accession is huge...major steps continue to take place behind the scenes...that bring Iraq to a place where they are ready to have a strong dinar in front of them.
I'm [Shredd] a VP in a top 3 international bank and have been with them for ten years.
I have full access to daily global accounts, massive investment vehicles and products and services that cover every single sector. The entire time I've been there, Iraq has been non-existent due to what we all know has been taking place there…and they still are today.
These banking and investment laws, this ascension to the ITFC is absolutely necessary for Iraq to emerge among their peers to welcome global investment and to ensure safe banking and trading is in place.
My hope is that when you gain an appreciation of what is all being accomplished, you will see vital progress, not frustrating stagnation...finding this and showing you all so much is and has been moving forward.
will this directly bring us an RV tomorrow?
you all aren't that absent to think as such im sure...but, these all have to have been done to bring Iraq to the place they need to be.
Some say the dinar was supposed to have moved by now as far as the monetary policy and the rate whether it be via a float, or a continued managed float.
But it didn't, did it? Why? well, in part, these things had to be in place first.
So, be excited we find this being done...great, great progress.


text:
Former President Bill Clinton Honors Alternative Investor LeapFrog
In the Closing Plenary of the Clinton Global Initiative 2009, former President Bill Clinton featured LeapFrog Investments, which raised the world's first microinsurance fund.
"LeapFrog's team is widely recognized as having opened up a new frontier in microfinance and alternative investment." The former President noted, "The fund has raised $44 million from both private and public investors, towards an ultimate target of $100 million."
Before an audience of 1000 global leaders, President Clinton drew a direct link between the work of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus to bring microcredit to millions of people, the 'Banker to the Poor,' and the work of LeapFrog as the global leader in microinsurance: "LeapFrog is quickly becoming the 'Insurer to the Poor'. Just like Yunus, [LeapFrog] is the first out of the gate, the first microinsurance fund in the world."
"For those 25 million clients, LeapFrog means the ability to leap out of poverty permanently." Dr. Andrew Kuper, President and Founder of LeapFrog said. "For our portfolio companies, LeapFrog means leaping to the next stage of growth and impact. For our investors, LeapFrog does mean the next frontier of microfinance and alternative investment."
Pierre Omidyar, Founder of EBay, immediately concurred with a post on Twitter, saying that it was "Great to see LeapFrog . . . recognized by President Clinton for work in microinsurance." The Omidyar Network is a lead investor in the fund, together with the European Investment Bank, FMO, Triodos, and Accion International.
LeapFrog's fund is now developing investment opportunities in key emerging markets such as India, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya.
Posted by Alex Akesson at 10:33:00 am

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This exercise shows how you can use a CTE to make a complicated question simple, by dividing it into two or more parts.
The first few events in the list - the last two columns give the position (if any) at which the words this and that can be found.
As an example, CHARINDEX('too','This too shall pass',1) would return 6, since the word too starts at the 6th letter of the given text (if you begin counting at the 1st character).
Now using this as a CTE, show the two events which contain both words in the right order (ie this followed by that). You'll need to join your CTE to the events table, so that you can pick up on the event name and event date, and display them.
The EventDetails column for these two events contains the words this and that, in this order.
Save your query as This and that revisited, and close it down.


text:
Fantasy Opera: the first two seasons
When I should have been at work on a frightening number of other things, I came across Lisa Hirsch's latest Fantasy Opera season from her blog, 'Iron Tongue of Midnight'. Over the past day or so, when again I should have been etc., I found myself from time to time thinking about what I should like to hear in an imaginary opera season, for instance when the call came for a new regime at a major opera house. For the sake of argument, there were to be sixteen productions: it seemed a reasonable number, though I hankered after more. I set myself an arbitrary but not unreasonable rule: no more than one work per composer. Still, it was far too difficult, so I allowed myself two seasons; the rule of one work still applied over the two-year span. There are more than sixteen works in each season, since there is a pair of double-bills in both. Though I did not make this a rule, I steered clear of works that were very often performed, not really in order to make a point, but just to make choice a little, and I stress a little, easier. I started off assigning conductors to the works, but left that particular project on one side, since it was complicated enough simply to select the works. (I was quite proud of a few opera-and-conductor pairings, though, and even started thinking about stage directors and some casting.) One choice is an oratorio, but it is an oratorio that in many respects cries out to be staged - or at the very least would not be harmed by doing so.
There can of course be no claim to any particular validity to these imaginary seasons, and I am well aware that, 'in the real world' – though surely if opera is anywhere, it should not be there! – it would be necessary to revive earlier productions and so on, but let us leave such mundane concerns aside for the moment. (For what it is worth, a new broom such as Gérard Mortier managed to accomplish a great deal without resorting to existing productions.) What undoubtedly came across, though, was how, without the slightest effort whatsoever, programmes that would be fresh and appealing could be constructed. Had we to declare a moratorium upon beloved works such as Figaro and Tristan, we might not only survive but flourish. And that was all before even beginning to consider what is perhaps most necessary of all: newly-commissioned works…
Birtwistle, The Mask of Orpheus
Monteverdi, L'incoronazione di Poppea
Rameau, Les Boréades
Henze, König Hirsch
Ravel, L'enfant et les sortilèges and Stravinsky, The Nightingale
Davies, Taverner
Mozart, Lucio Silla
Busoni, Doktor Faust
Britten, The Turn of the Screw
Gluck, Armide
Weber, Euryanthe
Mussorgsky, Khovanschina
Prokofiev, The Fiery Angel
Weill, Aufstieg and Fall der Stadt Mahagonny
Debussy, Pelléas et Mélisande
Schoenberg, Die glückliche Hand , and Nono, Intolleranza 1960
Stockhausen, Donnerstag
Handel, Saul
Wagner, Rienzi
Dusapin, Faustus, the Last Night
Haydn, Armida
Purcell, Dido and Aeneas , and Benjamin, Into the Little Hill
Goehr, Arden Must Die
Szymanowski, King Roger
Schumann, Genoveva
Dallapiccola, Ulisse
Hindemith, Cardillac
Berio, Cronaca del Luogo
Charpentier, Actéon, and Strauss, Daphne
Janáček, From the House of the Dead
Berlioz, Benvenuto Cellini
Messiaen, St François d'Assise
I was surprised by the number of works by English composers: perhaps I am possessed of a greater national bias than I should ever have suspected, though I suspect that it is more that my country's musical culture is far richer than I sometimes allow. More to the point, there was so much else I should have loved to include. There are no works by Zemlinsky, Cavalli, Schreker, Rossini, Lully, Schubert, Puccini, Meyerbeer, and so many others – and not for any good reason: there simply was not enough space. I was especially sorry to lose Cerha's Baal, again for no good reason whatsoever, other than perhaps to allot a place to a work from another era. Pelléas was perhaps an indulgence – though who could ever resist that particular indulgence? – but I managed to steer clear of the more frequently performed works of Mozart and Wagner. Fidelio and the Berg operas would have to wait too, likewise anything by Tchaikovsky, perhaps until the third and fourth seasons, when a new Ring would be mounted...
Labels: Fantasy opera
BPO/Rattle - Brahms, Wolf, and Mahler, 23 February...
Prohaska/Members of the BPO/Rattle: Schubert, Scho...
Fantasy Opera: definitely the final season, with f...
Fantasy Opera: ninth, extra season
World premiere: Anna Nicole, Royal Opera, 17 Febru...
Parsifal, English National Opera, 16 February 2011
Pollini Project (2): Beethoven, 15 February 2011
Collett/Theseus Ensemble/Paterson - Benjamin and B...
Evgeny Kissin: Liszt, 13 February 2011
Living Monteverdi: Janet Baker and Raymond Leppard...
Some thoughts on Richard Strauss's Capriccio
Philharmonia/Salonen: 'Infernal Dance' - Bartók an...
Fantasy Opera: finale
Fantasy Opera: seventh season
Fantasy Opera: sixth season
Fantasy Opera: fifth season
Fantasy Opera: fourth season
Fantasy Opera: third season
Fantasy Opera recordings
Ferneyhough String Quartet no.6
Arditti Quartet - Premieres of Clarke, Ferneyhough...
Die Zauberflöte, Royal Opera, 1 February 2011


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Avis Used Cars for Sale in the Orlando, FL Area
There are over a dozen theme parks in Orlando. If you're going to partake in our local pastime, you'll need transportation. When you purchase a car from Avis, you'll have the power to get around to all this fun at your pace. Whether you're looking for a minivan that can fit your entire family or an economy car with great gas mileage, you'll find exactly what you need in our Ultimate Test Drive fleet.
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Visit our FAQ page for more information.
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Physical Dealership
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If you visit an Avis rental location without requesting an Ultimate Test Drive, no cars for sale will be available. Ultimate Test Drive cars must be requested in advance and are picked up at an Avis rental location. A rental agent provides the keys to a rental car that matches the requested model, but the rental agent is not a salesperson. Drivers must meet all Avis requirements for vehicle rental. Drivers pay a discounted rental rate for the period of the test drive if it exceeds two hours. The rental fee is waived if a car is purchased. The car purchased may not be the exact car rented during the Ultimate Test Drive.
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Used Cars, Trucks, & SUVs for Every Driver
2021 Kia Forte LXS Sedan


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Q: Any quick way in Python to create and access a hashtable? I am trying to implement a LHS pattern match with a RHS action code in Python
How can I get a fast hashtable match.
Is this possible in Python?
I need to fast match features in terms of x,y,c where x and y are coordinates and c is the color at index(x,y) of a 2d array.

A: An hashmap is a dictionary in python.
There are several ways to create dictionaries, here's 2:
d = dict(k=v)

or
d = {k:v}

To get the value of a key:
k = d.get("k")

or
k = d[k]

To set the value of a key:
d[k] = "ok"

Notes:

In Python, dictionaries (or "dicts", for short) are a central data
  structure:
Dicts store an arbitrary number of objects, each identified by a
  unique dictionary key. Dictionaries are often also called maps,
  hashmaps, lookup tables, or associative arrays. They allow the
  efficient lookup, insertion, and deletion of any object associated
  with a given key.

Resources:

*

*Dictionaries in Python

*Dictionaries, Maps, and Hash Tables in Python

A: The native type dict is a hashmap, not a hashtable, therefore you can only values to a key.
You can however simulate a hashtable by using (x, y) tuples as keys:
d = {}
d[(1,0)] = True
d[(1,1)] = False

This works because the tuple type in Python is hashable, meaning that as long as the values that it wraps are hashable, it can convert the value to a key.
Otherwise, you could extend the dict type to provide additional methods, letting you access values in a Java- or C-style 2D array:
d[1][0] = True
d[1][1] = False

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